I am one happy Hufflepuff right now. Yesterday, I went to check out the Harry Potter filming locations at Goathland station and I’m still beaming with house pride.

Acting as Hogsmeade station for the first Harry Potter film, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (2001), Goathland station is a cutesy little place seemingly stuck in time. Or, perhaps a time that never really existed. The station is painted boldly in reds and greens and the fine for leaving the gate open is still £2. Steam trains still pass through the station hidden in the depths of the North Yorkshire Moors National Park.

Much like the Room of Requirement, you would probably never find Goathland station if you weren’t looking for it. No wonder it made such an ideal Harry Potter location! And the magic that Harry Potter filming location scouts must have spotted in Goathland station is still there almost twenty years on.

Harry Potter Filming Locations at Goathland Station

How to get to Goathland Station

By Steam Train

Goathland station is a station after all, and a working one too. The North Yorkshire Moors Railway (NYMR) is a tourist attraction in its own right, aside from it being featured in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. 

Though, it’s not a train station in the modern sense. Services are seasonal and generally run March – November with few winter services. But even though the stream train services are seasonal, I have no reason to think that access to the station itself is limited to the warmer months.

You can travel to nearby Whitby via normal UK National rail, which is the where the NYMR begins. Then, by traditional steam train, you’ll pass through 1950s era Grosmont, then Goathland, a request stop at Newton Dale Halt, 1912 themed Levisham then finally 1930s style Pickering at the other end of the line.

I have absolutely no idea why they are all themed by decade. You’ll have to visit and let me know!

Of course, if you wanted more time in Goathland station you could depart there and catch the steam train on the way back to Whitby.

Check out the NYMR timetable and ticket information here.

Driving by Car

This is how my parents and I decided to travel to visit the Harry Potter filming locations at Goathland station.

The Harry Potter station is literally in a national park, so roads are few and the ones that do exist are of the dreaded ‘country road’ variety. There are so many twists and turns as you travel closer to Goathland, I do not know how you would get there without a SatNav. I don’t know why you’d want to try and get there without a SatNav. Spare yourself the frustration!

Don’t forget to double check your estimated travel time on Google Maps ahead of your journey.

Top tip: Try and bring your own food/packed lunch if you can. There is a cafe in Goathland station that might be sufficient for a cake and coffee, but otherwise, you’ll be stuck for food choices if the station cafe is too busy. Goathland is a very, very small village!

Car Parks/Parking in Goathland

In terms of postcodes for your SatNav, Y022 5NF is Goathland station. There is a small car park there, apparently, but it was closed on the day of our visit. I also wouldn’t rely on there being space available in this car park, as it’s probably too small. And don’t underestimate how busy Goathland can be in the summer months! As I said, it’s a popular tourist attraction regardless of the popularity of any Harry Potter locations.

Instead, use Y022 5LX for the two car parks which are directly next to each other and very well signposted. The car parks are literally a short three-minute walk to the train station.

It was funny actually, as we turned into one car park, we realised that the ‘official’ Goathland car park was right next door. Just slightly further down the road. So, we think maybe some enterprising farmer has decided to set up shop in his field next door so people will turn into his car park first!

It’s just funny really, and there isn’t much in it cost-wise. We paid £3 for all day parking, and according to the website, it’s £2.50 for the one next door. But, two car parks are better than one! Especially on busy summer weekends. And, the one next door had toilet facilities which were super convenient after a three and a half hour drive!

Where are the Harry Potter Filming Locations at Goathland Station?

Goathland station is only small, so the Harry Potter locations are essentially everywhere! This means you don’t have to spend long at the Harry Potter filming locations at Goathland Station in order to walk everywhere and take lots of photographs.

Goathland station is Hogsmeade station in the Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone film. So, you see the station towards the beginning when Harry Potter departs the Hogwarts Express, and the very last scene of the film when Hagrid is waving the youngsters goodbye.

Photographing Goathland station

You don’t need a train ticket to walk around the Harry Potter filming locations at Goathland station at your leisure. Hooray! Don’t forget to sit on the bench that said ‘Hogsmeade’ in the film but in reality reads ‘Goathland.’ Make sure you cross the bridge and check out the other platform, too. From this platform, there’s a short path leading up a small hill where I got some photographs of the whole station, which I am pretty pleased with.

The last shot of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone is beautiful. It’s a crane shot that tracks up with a gorgeous view of the whole station. Unfortunately, the path is on the other side of the platform to this shot, but it’s nice to get a similar view. I’m afraid a camera crane would not fit in my trunk!

Also, there are so many people in my photographs because a random WWII dress-up event was happening all over Goathland. I know, isn’t that so random?! I’m inclined to think that normally, on a mid-October weekend that isn’t a half-term school holiday, the station would be fairly quiet.

Visiting Goathland Station without leaving your house

The talented people at Trainline have created a 3D, interactive map of Goathland Station! The map also features the original, steam locomotive which goes by the name of Eric Treacy. This map is super helpful because I’m sure Goathland Station is pretty far to travel for a number of you. Or, maybe you are planning a trip to Goathland Station and you can plan exactly where you want to go and match up the IRL locations with the film!

Photographing the “Hogwarts Express” Steam Train

And even if you don’t want to ride the local steam train, you can still check out the NYMR timetable if you want to see one stop by. Of course, if there’s a guard or conductor on the station you could ask them when the next train is due. And to make sure you’re stood on the correct side of the platform!

We didn’t hang around for the steam trains but managed to spontaneously catch one speeding through the countryside on our drive out. The spirit of Helga Hufflepuff was smiling down on me that day!

And that’s everything you need to know about visiting the Harry Potter Filming Locations at Goathland Station in North Yorkshire! Have you ever visited Goathland Station? Let me know in the comments below! 

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